Best of South Africa trip - 17 days

Welcome to Cape Town and the start of your South Africa travel experience. Your personal guide will meet you at Cape Town International Airport and accompany you to your handpicked accommodation.

After check-in, ease into the trip at your own pace. Stroll along the waterfront, sample local cuisine, or relax with a glass of Cape wine as Table Mountain rises above the city skyline.

After breakfast, set out on a guided half-day tour of Cape Town.

Visit City Hall and the Castle of Good Hope, a pentagon-shaped fort and the oldest surviving building in South Africa, while your guide shares stories of the city’s layered history and cultures.

Continue to the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway for sweeping 360-degree views across Cape Town, Devil’s Peak, Lion’s Head, and the Atlantic coastline. At the summit, follow scenic viewpoints, enjoy a relaxed meal, or browse the curio shop before returning to the city.

After breakfast, your private guide will collect you for a full-day Cape Peninsula tour, a highlight of any South Africa itinerary.

Trace the Atlantic and Indian Ocean coastlines, stopping in the working fishing village of Hout Bay for harbor views and local flavor. Continue to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point, the legendary southwestern tip of Africa.

On the return journey, explore the naval charm of Simon’s Town, the characterful fishing port of Kalk Bay, and the leafy wine estates of Constantia.

Your private guide will collect you from your hotel for a full-day Cape Winelands experience.

Explore the famed wine triangle of Stellenbosch, Paarl, and Franschhoek, learning how each area shapes the journey from vineyard to cellar to bottle. Stroll Stellenbosch’s oak-lined streets and historic buildings, trace French Huguenot heritage in Franschhoek, and discover Paarl’s strong Afrikaner roots.

Enjoy curated wine and cheese tastings at handpicked estates before returning to your Cape Town hotel in the late afternoon.

Enjoy a leisurely day in the Cape Winelands at your own pace.

Sample world-class wines during intimate estate tastings, pair local vintages with chocolate, or join a cellar tour led by passionate winemakers. You can also unwind at your hotel with vineyard views, book a spa treatment, or stroll through historic towns and artisan boutiques.

After breakfast, leave the Winelands and travel through the Klein Karoo to Oudtshoorn, known as the ostrich capital of the world.

Settle into this characterful town before visiting Highgate Ostrich Show Farm. Hand-feed the birds, learn about breeding and egg incubation, and see how feathers, eggs, and leather are used in local crafts.

Enjoy the excitement of an ostrich derby, then use any extra time to explore the Cango Caves, nearby hiking and biking trails, or local cheetah and crocodile conservation centers.

Discover the legendary Cango Caves near Oudtshoorn, part of the Cape Floral Kingdom World Heritage Site.

Explore vast underground chambers filled with ancient stalagmites, stalactites, and illuminated limestone formations. In Van Zyl’s Hall, feel the cool, humid air and take in the scale of one of Africa’s most impressive show cave systems.

As you move through this subterranean landscape, learn how water and time shaped its dramatic formations over millions of years.

Discover Knysna, a Garden Route gem known for coastal forests, a peaceful lagoon, and the dramatic Knysna Heads.

Cruise across the lagoon aboard the John Benn luxury ferry, gliding from calm waters toward the point where the lagoon meets the ocean. Enjoy the sea air, panoramic views, and the warm atmosphere, with yellowwood decks crafted from local forest timber.

You can also add time for Featherbed Nature Reserve or the nearby Garden Route National Park, both ideal for scenic walks and nature views.

Continue your trip with a visit to Tsitsikamma National Park, one of the best places to visit in South Africa for dramatic Garden Route scenery. Explore indigenous forest trails, coastal fynbos, wildflowers, and rich birdlife, including the African black oystercatcher and Knysna lourie.

Then visit Monkeyland, the world’s first free-roaming multi-primate sanctuary, where rescued primates move freely through an indigenous forest.

End the day at Birds of Eden near Plettenberg Bay, following self-guided walkways through a vast free-flight dome filled with colorful parrots, Knysna louries, and many other bird species.

After breakfast, visit Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary outside Plettenberg Bay. Follow your guide on a walking tour through large, natural-style enclosures, where rescued lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, jaguars, and pumas are cared for.

Learn the stories behind the animals and the conservation challenges facing big cats and other predators.

Later, depart from Central Beach in Plettenberg Bay for a dolphin watching cruise along Keurbooms Beach and Arch Rock. Look for bottlenose dolphins beside the boat, with chances to spot Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, seasonal whales, seabirds, and a lively Cape fur seal colony.

Take a scenic transfer toward George, with time to enjoy Plettenberg Bay along the way.

This stylish Garden Route town is known for golden beaches, rocky headlands, quiet lagoons, indigenous forests, and clear Indian Ocean views. Enjoy relaxed beach time, gentle walks, or a stop to take in the coastal scenery.

Continue to George, set between the Outeniqua Mountains and the Indian Ocean. Explore historic buildings, visit the George Museum or the Outeniqua Transport Museum, or choose from outdoor activities such as cycling, hiking, canoeing, fishing, or golf in beautiful natural surroundings.

Travel to Skukuza, the lively heart of Kruger National Park, and settle into your safari lodge for the next chapter of your South Africa trip.

Depending on your arrival time, join an afternoon game drive following the lodge schedule. Head into classic Kruger landscapes in search of the Big Five, listen for birdsong along the Sabie River, and watch the bush glow in the late afternoon light as your guide shares local insight.

Spend a full day exploring Kruger National Park on a 4x4 game drive, traveling through vast bushveld, riverine forest, and open plains in search of wildlife.

Look for the Big Five, from elephants with impressive tusks and buffalo moving in herds to lions resting in the shade and leopards hidden in the trees. Along the way, your guide may also point out smaller wonders, from colorful birds to delicate butterflies.

Pause at a rest camp to stretch, refresh, and reflect on the day’s sightings before continuing your safari.

Spend a second full day game viewing in Kruger National Park, giving you more time to explore its varied habitats and follow the rhythm of the bush.

Travel slowly with your expert guide as you track lions, elephants, rhinos, and other wildlife. Along the way, learn about animal behavior, hear stories from the reserve, and pick up photography tips tailored to your interests.

Pause at scenic viewpoints and picnic spots, taking in the scale and atmosphere of this iconic wilderness before continuing your safari.

Wake to the sounds of the wild and enjoy a fresh breakfast before setting out from Rhino Plain Camp.

Join expert guides for an intimate morning bush walk, tracking wildlife on foot and learning how plants, tracks, birds, and smaller signs reveal the wider ecosystem.

In the afternoon, relax at camp before heading out on an open-vehicle game drive through prime wildlife areas. Look for rhinos, big cats, and plains game as golden light settles over the bush.

Begin the day on foot with a guided bush walk, learning to read animal tracks, notice smaller signs of wildlife, and listen to the sounds of the bush.

Afterward, transfer to Skukuza Airport for your flight to Johannesburg. On arrival, enjoy time at your own pace. Explore vibrant neighborhoods, sample local cuisine, or visit museums and galleries that reveal the city’s powerful stories.

After breakfast, enjoy free time before your flight home.

Choose a guided city tour, visit Soweto and the powerful Apartheid Museum, or relax with last-minute shopping for curios at Cambanos and Son.

Savor your final moments in South Africa as you reflect on the places, people, and experiences that made your South Africa trip unique. We look forward to welcoming you back again.